The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
The popularity of pickup trucks is presently rising, in part because of the high degree of utility that pickup trucks provide to individuals in transporting a wide variety of cargo. One particular type of cargo that individuals often transport in the bed of a pickup truck is all terrain vehicles (ATVs). Another is off road motorcycles (i.e., dirt bikes) as well as everyday motorcycles. Riding lawn mowers, bicycles and other wheeled vehicles often also transported in the bed of a pickup truck.
At the present time conventional lightweight ramps, typically made from aluminum, are usually used to help load such wheeled vehicles into an out from the bed of a pickup truck. While using ramps can be a satisfactory means for loading and unloading wheeled vehicles, storage of the ramps on the vehicle presents some significant drawbacks. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that storage of the ramps in the bed of the pickup truck takes up valuable space. As a result, there is less space in the bed available for use in the bed when the ramps are not needed and are being stowed. There is also no quick and convenient way to secure the ramps in the bed. Typically bungee cords or other like implements are used by an individual to secure the ramps in the bed. And if a bungee cord or other like implement is not available, then the user may be forced to simply let the ramps rest on the floor of the bed. This may result in shifting or bouncing of the ramps in the bed if the vehicle must be driven off road or on uneven road surfaces. Having the ramps bouncing and shifting around in the bed can be unsettling to the driver, as well as noisy. Movement of the ramps in the bed might potentially damage other cargo being carried in the bed.
Still further, with no convenient place to store the ramps on a pickup truck, there is an increased chance that the user may not have the ramps with him/her if (or when) the need arises for their use. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have a system in which the ramps are stowed on the vehicle when not needed for use, but which does not take up valuable space in the bed of the pickup truck. It would also be highly desirable if the ramps could operate as step rails for the vehicle when placed in their stowed positions. Such a system would ideally not involve any extensive disassembly or removal procedures to remove the ramps from their stowed positions and place them in an operative position. Still further, such a system would allow the ramps to be stowed after use without complicated securing procedures and external tools being required. Still further, such a system would ideally add little or no appreciable weight to the pickup truck itself, detract from its aerodynamics or otherwise significantly complicate the construction/design of the bed or any other area of the vehicle.